Expat wanderer

Interesting case from the Arab Times. Many courts in many nations are struggling with the same question – at what point does it become rape? In this case, there was a disagreement about the price and she tried to leave, at which point she claims she was raped.

Consensual sex, no rape: lawyer

KUWAIT CITY : The Criminal Court listened Tuesday to the argument of the lawyers for five Kuwaiti police officers, who had been charged with raping and molesting a Bedoun woman.

The court then set April 14, 2009 to issue its verdict.

During the session, the lawyer for the first and second suspects, Attorney Mohamed Al-Sane, told the court the victim had gone to the flat of the suspects on her own free will. He added this incident can never be considered rape as the victim had agreed to collect KD 100 from the suspects in return for staying and having sex with them.

Attorney Ali Al-Asfour, who represented the third suspect, requested the court to acquit his client as there is no proof to show that the victim had been raped. He further said the arresting officer’s investigations were inconclusive.

Meanwhile, Attorneys Tareq Al-Khars, Khaled Al-Mahhan and Ahmad Al-Shehab, who represented the fourth suspect, requested the court to acquit their client as he had nothing to do with the case. They added there is no evidence that the man had committed the crime.

According to the victim, she knows the third suspect, who called her on the day of the incident and invited her to go with him to a friend’s flat where she met the other suspects and two women. She disclosed the third suspect offered her KD 100 if she spends ‘fun’ time with him. However, when she arrived at the flat and had a drink with the five men, she asked for KD 50 more.

When the men refused, she tried to leave the flat, but she couldn’t as the door was locked. While she was looking for the key, the third suspect took her by force to the main bedroom and three other suspects followed him, then they all raped her.

The session was presided over by Judge Adel Al-Saqer.

By Moamen Al-Masri
Special to the Arab Times

I would guess, in Kuwait, even if she wins the case, which looks doubtful given the cadre of lawyers hired to prevent that from happening, she loses. My guess is that she goes to prison for agreeing to have sex for money.

This crime report gives me a smile, because it is so cultural. In Seattle, where pigeons are so plentiful as to be a nuisance, it would be very hard to comprehend why anyone would steal a pigeon.

Living here, we know that some people treasure their pigeons, and that there are some pigeons for which people pay a LOT of money:

Night patrolmen nab pigeon thieves

KUWAIT CITY: Night patrol operatives arrested three youths who had stolen a number of pigeons from different pens in Kabad area. Sources said the team while on routine night patrol spotted the suspects in a car. They discovered the birds during a search in the suspects’ car.

The accused who confessed to the crime have since been referred to the concerned authorities for further investigations.

WASHINGTON: The Department of State rates Kuwait as low threat for crime. The incidence of crime in Kuwait City remains low. The government of Kuwait (GOK) maintains a high police profile with large numbers of uniformed and plainـclothes officers on the streets. Each district and governorate has police stations operating under the direction of the Ministry of Interior (MOI) Directorate of Public Safety. Incidents of crime do occur, with few instances reported to the U.S. Embassy”s Regional Security Officer (RSO).

Violent crime is primarily confined within the thirdـcountry national (TCN) community, which comprises the majority of the manual labor force in Kuwait ـ approximately twoـthirds of Kuwait”s residents are TCNs.

It is probable that a high percentage of crimes in the TCN community go unreported because of lack of police responsiveness.

The threat of immediate deportation looms large for many of these guest workers who generally prefer maintaining a low profile so as to avoid unwanted attention from the GOK.

Although several districts within Kuwait City are known to have higher incidences of crime, only one area (Jahra) remains generally offـlimits to official embassy personnel. One factor contributing to the high rate of crime in Jahra is the inability of the police to enforce laws in areas where tribal customs take precedence.

Residential crime remains low. There have been no reported breakـins at any official embassy residences within the past year, nor have any vehicles been stolen. It is not uncommon for embassy staff and dependents to report suspicious persons in their neighborhoods to the RSO, but the majority of these instances have been resolved without any criminal or other hostile intent discovered.

There are no reports of petty thefts against the official American community in any of the popular outdoor markets or shopping malls frequented by tourists and westerners living in Kuwait. However, the opportunity for such crime does exist. It is understood that individuals should not assume that they can maintain a carefree attitude in these venues even though the crime threat in Kuwait is rated low.

The best thing, the very best thing about blogging, for me, is what I learn from my commenters. The old Locard’s Exchange Principle is a constant in life – with every interaction, a part of you rubs off on me, and a part of me rubs off on you. It’s why we’re careful about the people, books, movies, blogs and ideas we spend time with. . . we either feel better for hanging around them, or slightly uncomfortable. Sometimes, hugely uncomfortable. The internet is a microcosm, good and evil all mixed in together and we make our choices.

Fragonard: The Reader

Above: that is me. That’s pretty much who I am. I am quiet, I am a reader. I still get input, from newspapers, books, e-mails, the internet, friends, groups, etc.

What I love about blogging is that I throw something out, and you throw something back. Many many times, what I get back is unexpected, and forces me to re-examine my assumptions. Many times, I have to force myself to stop. Not to respond. I have to force myself to let the new information, new point-of-view sink in, percolate, settle. Minds don’t change in an instant, but . . . they do change. New information brings new, often surprising, perspectives. When I find myself getting angry, I have to step back and ask myself “what is going on here? What are you reacting to?” It helps me to know myself better, and it helps me to understand whatever-little-corner-of-the-world-I-am-living-in better, too.

There are about six different blog entries radiating out like a spider’s web from the thoughts I am now thinking, fed by your input and comments, and behind the scenes e-mails back and forth with new thoughts.

So here is my challenge for today. I’ve shown you one of my life icons, this Fragonard paining, The Reader.

Your mission, your challenge – identify / find a piece of art that shows us who you are. Post it on your blog and link here with a comment, or send it to me, and I will publish it.

(No graphic violence or pornography; I won’t publish it and I will break the link if you publish it on your blog and link to me.)